Central do Brasil station led with 280,000 boardings. Rio’s MetrôRio logged 3.6 million trips across six days of round-the-clock Carnival service.
Six Days of Non-Stop Service
MetrôRio wrapped up its Carnival 2026 special operation with an impressive result: approximately 3.6 million boardings between Friday, February 13, and Ash Wednesday, February 18. Throughout the entire period, the network ran 24 hours a day, handling the massive flow of revelers across Rio de Janeiro.
Saturday, February 14, stood out as the busiest single day, surpassing 675,000 boardings system-wide — a peak that reflects the concentration of street parties and the city’s reliance on public transit during the festivities.
Busiest Stations of the Celebration
Five stations handled the highest passenger volumes during Carnival:
Central do Brasil/Centro — 280,000 boardings
Botafogo — 220,000 boardings
Carioca — 210,000 boardings
Jardim Oceânico — 205,000 boardings
Pavuna — 177,000 boardings
Contactless Payments Hit a Record
NFC (Near Field Communication) technology also made its mark this Carnival. More than 875,000 boardings were completed via contactless payment, accounting for 26.3% of all paying passengers — a figure that outpaced single-use card payments, which represented just 8.4% of trips.
Sunday, February 15, set the daily contactless record with 210,000 tap-to-ride boardings, underscoring a clear shift toward faster, more convenient payment methods among Rio commuters and revelers alike.
“The use of contactless technology represented 26.3% of paying passengers, surpassing single-use card payments (8.4%).” — MetrôRio
Champions’ Parade Gets Its Own Special Run
The Carnival spirit continues on the rails. This Saturday, February 21, MetrôRio resumes 24-hour service starting at 5 a.m. to serve crowds attending the Champions’ Parade (Desfile das Campeãs) at the Sambódromo da Sapucaí.
The company encourages passengers to use contactless payment or top up their transit cards in advance to avoid queues. The MetrôRio app, available for Android and iOS, offers real-time service updates and trip planning. Full details and the “Plan Your Trip” tool are available at https://www.metrorio.com.br/
Photo: Divulgação/MetrôRio
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